Much of the world struggles with access to clean drinking water. Clean water is one of the most basic necessities of human life but is unattainable for millions of people in the world. Countries are struggling with plans to provide long term supply of ground water as many natural resources are not only being depleted but are being contaminated as well. There are numerous environmental effects on ground water development. Various sources of significant disruption of the hydrologic cycle can reduce freshwater water availability for both surface water and groundwater. Water quality matters, not simply as a matter of retaining potable water in our reservoirs and sustainable habitats for aquatic life, but water quality is also a hidden threat to our deep aquifers that eventually replenish our lakes and streams. Water quality issues include not only inorganic and toxic chemical compounds but organic matter and overgrowth of nutrients.
Current technology to filter water so as to prepare for human consumption utilize techniques such as but not limited to ultrafiltration, activated charcoal and ultra-violet light. The latter being more difficult as it requires a power source and in remote areas/third-world countries this is not a viable option. The aforementioned techniques all have shown to have deficiencies when utilized to clean water that is more polluted. Charcoal filtration occurs as the water passes over the surface thereof and the pores of the charcoal progress towards saturation and ultimately have a reduced capacity to causing more contaminants to pass by leading to reduced water quality output of the filtration process. Users are unable to determine when the charcoal has reached or begins to reach saturation and as such take the risk of utilizing these systems. Additionally, utilization of ultraviolet has shown to be effective in the disruption of biological reproduction but can be ineffective in elimination of the biologics. Higher turbidity and faster flow rates also create a decrease in the effectiveness of ultraviolet light techniques.
Accordingly, there is a need for a water filtration apparatus that is portable and utilizes components and elements that are operable to effectively remove from all raw water types biological, inorganics, organics and other contaminants so as to produce potable water.